


Unspoken

by sakkajagga



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 10:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18963199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakkajagga/pseuds/sakkajagga
Summary: Nero is dating someone you and Kyrie thinks treats him poorly, yet he says nothing against his girlfriend.  He seems content on continuing on with her, even if he doesn't seem happy, much to your confusion and frustration at seeing your best friend let his girlfriend treat him so badly.Kyrie seems to be the only ear you can bend without having to admit your actual feelings for Nero.





	Unspoken

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr request gone awry lol; female!Reader

“Okay…”  You hated that defeated sound in his voice whenever he was on the phone.  “Okay. Yeah, See ya--” The abruptness of his halt let you know that she hung up on him--again.  Saying nothing as he stretched out his arm to place the phone on its receiver, you were seething in the driver’s seat, fingers gripping the steering wheel till your knuckles were white.

“What’s  _ her highness _ saying now?”  You just couldn’t keep it in this time.

“Her highness?” Nero laughed quietly, choosing to not to argue.

    Having grown up with him and Kyrie left the two of you the sole people in the world who knew the devil hunter the best.  The three of you were inseparable for the most part; up until he started dating. Neither you or Kyrie had ever been too fond of her; perhaps it was overprotectiveness on your part, but you felt all the more justified to know that Kyrie, of all people, was able to pick up on the weird vibes of Nero’s girlfriend as well.  And if  _ Kyrie _ didn’t like you, there wasn’t really a chance she was wrong.  You could tell he was drained if he wasn’t willing to argue back and decided to give him some slack for now.  “You okay?”

    “Hm?  Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”  There was a long pause, something tense in the air like he wanted to continue speaking, but didn’t.  You looked forward from watching him so it didn’t seem like you were waiting on him to fill the silence till he finally instead said,  “What the hell is taking Nico so long??”

    “Should we go check on her?”

    “Yeah, wait here,” he answered as expected, not wanting to chance you getting in danger.  As he got out of his seat to pass you, Nero’s hand habitually patted your shoulder reassuringly, “I’ll be right back.”

    “Yeah, yeah…”  You slouched in your seat, eying the road ahead and looking for signs of demons to quell the nervousness of something happening to Nico.  Forcing yourself to stop worrying over all the horrible ‘what-if’ scenarios popping up in your head, your mind wandered back to Nero; recalling the crestfallen look on his face as he listened to his girlfriend speak to him and the muted tone of his voice when he was finally given the chance to respond.  It struck you as odd, shouldn’t someone be happy to be speaking to the person they love? Maybe there was some situation you just weren’t aware of and were looking for things to not like her over? He was your best friend, after all, and you only wanted the best for him--including girlfriends. The phone rang, breaking your train of contemplation, and you reached over and answered out of reflex; figuring it was Nero or Nico, but kept the formalities just in case, “Devil May Cry, how can I--”

   “Who the hell?  Where is Nero??”  Before you could answer, the voice on the other line continued, “Put him on the line, now.”

   “He’s not in the RV right now,” you said, voice clipped and not pleasant at all.  “But I’ll tell him you called.” After saying so, you immediately hung up, knowing full well who it had been now.  Only one person was so needlessly rude to someone as sweet and big-hearted as your best friend, you didn’t need to recognize her voice to know that.  And when the phone started ringing near-immediately afterwards, you had a pretty good idea as to who it was. For a moment, you contemplated just letting it ring...but what if it was a legit customer, or even one of your coworkers?  Not having the luxury to take that chance, you picked it up with a heavy sigh, “Devil M--”

    “How  _ dare _ you hang up on me!  Put Nero on the phone!!”

    “I told you, he’s not even here--”

    “I don’t CARE what you’re saying.  You need to take your pathetic crushing-having ass to get him because I need to talk to him.  Now!”

    “Crush-having??  What are you--”

    “Oh  _ please _ don’t act like it’s some big secret.  It’s pathetic--Nero doesn’t want you. The only reason he still talks to you is because you grew up with him and he feels bad for you not having any other friends.”

    That made you pause--it was such a specific insult...one that she could only get details on from Nero, or Kyrie, but you know that he wouldn’t badmouth his friends in a  _ seriously _ derogatory manner…  But you couldn’t help but think, somewhere deep down, those two have had at least one conversation where he’d explained something along the lines of you being kind of strange so you didn’t make friends very easily; if she had ever demanded to know why you insisted on staying so close with him.  But like Nero, your friends were your family--the only family you’ve ever known. He wouldn’t tell her that he didn’t like being around you… The tiniest trace of fear etched your mind, turning the feeling quickly into anger, “He’s  _ busy _ doing his job.  You know. The only he could die from at  _ any _ given moment, but no, that’s not what’s important is it?  It’s more important to treat him like a commodity you can boss around whenever you feel like because you’re too insecure in your own self so you make someone as wonderful as Nero feel like shit because you’re a stuck up bitch.  Don’t call back--he’ll call you.” Hanging up again felt a little cathartic with how hard you slammed the phone down against the receiver, watching it--glaring at it, really, as if daring the girl to call back. When it didn’t immediately ring again, you relaxed in your seat, still seething and wanting to punch something.  You actually hoped a demon or two would show up just so you could vent your frustration out on them from having to deal with someone as god awful as her. What did Nero see in her anyway?? Sure, she was conventionally beautiful but her personality made her so damn ugly…

    There was only one person you could talk to right now that could calm you down.  You fished out your cell phone, flipping it open and pressing a well-worn button due to who was assigned to its speed dial.  The voice that greeted you was like music to your ears, “Yes, hello?” You sighed at first, half in relief of hearing her, half in agitation.  “Y/N?”

    “Yeah…  Hey, Kyrie.”  It was hard to tell who depended on her more, you or Nero.

    “Y/N, what’s wrong?”  The fact that she could immediately hear something was bothering you made you wince to yourself.

    “ _ Her _ ,” you responded indignantly.  “She called--again--JUST to yell at him!”  You heard Kyrie sigh as well, the sound sadder than you liked.  You wanted her to be angry with you, but that just wasn’t Kyrie.  “And when she called back, she demanded to talk to him even though I told her he’s not in the RV right now--like I’m purposefully trying to keep him from her!  He’s doing his JOB right now, you know!?” Kyrie was still silent, as if she knew you needed to vent it out and you weren’t in fact yelling at her. “She...she said that he only lets me stay around because he feels sorry.”

    “You know that’s not true,” her response was immediate to that, voice soft, but very sure.

    “I know--I know, but I--”

    “Nero loves you.”  You paused hard at that.  “He loves all his friends more deeply than anyone can fathom.  We’re a family.”

    “Y-yeah…” you glanced over when you noticed movement in the side-view mirror, seeing Nico and Nero walking together.  He was carrying some large, bizarre looking carcass; something Nico must had found on her way back and had been struggling to drag it along with her.  “Yeah, I know. I just… I hate her--the way she treats him.”

    “Nero is...fond of her.  Perhaps you’re being too harsh?”

    “You’ve seen it too!  I know you have, Kyrie...I can see it your eyes.”  There was a long pause so you continued, “I haven’t seen you look that sad in a long time.  To see him look so lonely and dejected? Even when he has a girlfriend? I...I can’t bear it, sometimes.”

    “Y/N…”  She seems a little torn on what to say, given the tone of her voice, something strange for Kyrie.  She always knew just the right things to say to cheer you and Nero up; or at least set your resolve back in order.  Her pause makes your heart clench.

    “She just wants to use him because he’s too nice--because he’s such a great person.”  You reached up to wipe at your eye, even though there were no tears, your eyes were burning as if there soon would be.  “She doesn’t deserve him, Kyrie. And you and I  _ both _ know that Nero deserves someone who would give him the world, just like he tries to do.”

    “We can’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to, Y/N.”

    “I know…  But my heart breaks every time I have to see his face when he’s gotten of the phone with her.  She…” You can hear Nico closely outside, knowing you need to wrap the conversation up, “She doesn’t even love him--not like I do-- _ we _ !”  Your blood ran cold, hoping that Kyrie hadn’t noticed that, and if she did, you hoped she let it go, “Like  _ we _ do.”

    “Perhaps…”  Kyrie’s voice was thoughtful as she seemed to carefully pick her words, “perhaps we are too overprotective?”  The way she said ‘we’ made you feel like she was using it in the same way you did. There’s a sound behind you, and you glance up to the rearview mirror, expecting Nico since you had heard her so close a few moments ago; blood freezing in your veins when you see the flash of very silver hair instead of the dark curls you’d been expecting

    “M-Maybe--I gotta go, I’ll call you later, okay??”  Kyrie agrees, used to you and Nero having to expectedly cut your calls short in favor of the work that you do.  “Okay--later then--love ya,” you say hurriedly and hang up while trying not to fumble the phone before quickly standing up.  You glance at the door, noting how it was just hanging out open and realize that you’d never closed it all the way behind him when he’d left.  There was no telling how long he’d been standing there...listening… “Find her?” You cleared your throat, immediately moving to walk passed him without giving him a chance to answer as you jerk your thumb back towards the phone, “Your girlfriend called again.  Sounded important.” Without waiting still, you rushed out of the van and made a beeline for Nico, gladly letting her rope you into helping with disassembling this thing in favor of parts for more of her experiments.

 

    Later that evening, you noticed Nero off by himself, arm propped up against the side of the payphone he was using.  He body language was pretty relaxed, so you assumed he was actually having a nice conversation with his girlfriend. And that made you happy, but simultaneously worried that Kyrie was right.  Maybe you were just being overprotective of Nero...maybe his girlfriend had just been having a rough time and was taking it out on him, but they made up later on? Maybe you were actually just...jealous.  You pulled out your cell phone again, flipping it open and pressing that familiar button--surprised to receive a busy signal. Well it wasn’t like Kyrie didn’t have orphans to attend to...so you pocketed the device and went to sit alone, to think, to process your thoughts and feelings.

    You’d always loved Nero and Kyrie.  You’d known them for so long it was impossible not to--like Kyrie said, you all were a family.  But somewhere along the way...you supposed it was possible that your love for him had blossomed more fully without you ever realizing it.  It made you wonder if Kyrie felt the same. Maybe she was in love with Nero too? And what would that mean if either one of you ever tried to pursue him?

    Speaking of which...you suddenly remembered that he’d been standing behind you when you had been venting to Kyrie.  Just how much had he heard?? All of it??? You’d be so devastated if so, there was no way you wanted him to know you harbored these kinds of feelings for him.  Because, more than likely, Nero did not feel the same, and you’d never want to push him away from making things too awkward.

    The sudden buzzing of your phone startled you, the thing nearly slipping out of your grasp as you pulled from your pocket to flip it open, a small smile creasing the corner of your mouth when you read the ID.  “Hey, what’s up?”

    “You called me?”

    “Yeah…  You okay?”

    “I’m fine.  I was just advising a friend on some troubles.”

    “Yeah, you’re pretty good at that.”  You both shared a soft laugh and you were clearly beating around the bush, feeling a little guilty to be calling her again to vent your personal woes on her when you knew that Kyrie had her own set of problems to deal with.

    “What’s wrong, Y/N?”  Her question isn’t pointed, but still direct enough to let you know that she can tell you want to get something off your chest still.

    “Kyrie...do you think…  Do you think that Nero is happy?”

    Her laugh is as soft as her voice, and you can clearly picture the type of smile on her face at this very moment from the sound alone, “That isn’t something I can answer, you should perhaps ask Nero.”  You feel like she’s secretly laughing at you for some reason, like she knows something you don’t and finds it amusing, but not maliciously at all.

    “What do you mean ‘talk to Nero’ about it?  To him, it’d look like I’m just trash-talking his girlfriend.  He’d probably just laugh at how dumb I’m being.”

    A voice, definitely not Kyrie’s, responds from behind you, “Why would I laugh at you?  You’re dumb all the time.”

    You actually jump this time, almost dropping your phone as you whip around to see Nero standing  _ very _ within earshot, and that smug smirk on his face.  You’re noticeably more annoyed this time as you tell Kyrie you’ll call her back.  “What the hell, Nero? I know you know it’s rude to eavesdrop!”

    “Eavesdrop?  I’m just on my way back to the RV.”  His smile tells you otherwise.

    “Yeah sure, nice scenic route you took.  This little detour is  _ so  _ on the way--”

    “Funny how you can have all these deep, meaningful conversations with everyone except me, Y/N,” Nero cut in suddenly, hand grabbing at the back of his neck.

    Your brows went up, knowing for certain now that he must have heard every damn thing you’d said to Kyrie on  _ both _ phone calls.  You cursed to yourself, wondering if he was just coming over to take the initiative on letting you down gently about these feeling--that you weren’t even going to act on!  “Don’t be a baby,” you scoff at him, pretending like you didn’t know that he’d overheard all the juicy details. “Girls need other girls to talk to, sometimes. No offense.”  You shrugged as if to say none of it was a big deal at all.

    “Guys need girls to talk to sometimes too, y’know?” he took a few steps closer, probably to match the quieter tone he was using.  The one he used when you were upset, or not admitting how afraid you were during those moments of near-death experiences when he’d let you curl up to his side with an arm securely around your shoulders.  He was much more used to this demon hunting lifestyle than you were, that was for damn certain. Very rarely did you have to help him overcome fear, but his self-conscious moments were another story.

    Instead of pondering his change in tone, you rolled your eyes, “Yeah.  That’s why you have a girlfriend.” You had to stop yourself from flinching--did that sound bitter?  Or even worse, jealous?? You hoped not.

    Nero’s hand fell from scratching the back of his neck, gaze dropping away from yours as well, “ _ Did _ .”

    “..‘did’?”  You didn’t get the chance to ask him what he meant.

    “Did,” he nodded, eyes finding yours again and trapping you with his pale gaze.  The depth was telling you something, or at least wanting you to understand his intent--an important thing to note with Nero since he had such a hard time bring up his own feelings even when he needed to.

    You wanted to ask him what happened; the sordid details on who broke up with whom and why.  You wanted to know--hoping that it was her left tear-stained and rejected for all the grief she’d caused him in the time they’d been seeing each other.  It’s what she deserved. “What?” you tilted your head to the side, gauging him and the way he was looking at you. The last thing you wanted to do was jump to conclusions or act brashly just because your own emotions were hyped up, “You need another girl to talk to?”

    “Nah,” Nero’s smile is genuine; real and one you had seen him express in a good while as he took another step forward, “I already have one.”  Your eyes follow the movement of his left hand as it reached out and grabbed hold of yours, squeezing gently enough to prevent your hand from slipping out of his grasp.  “Why? Need a boy to talk to?”

    You couldn’t help but laugh at that.  It was so perfectly ‘Nero’. Stepping forward to close the remaining lingering space, you brought your arms up to wrap around his waist, “If he wants to.”  It was a gesture you had done many times, but this time was different. It even felt different; that much being evident in the way Nero returned the sentiment, arms enveloping around you tightly and slightly curling forward to really embrace you completely instead of his normal motion of folding one arm across your back and pulling you against his chest.

    “Yeah,” he murmured, pressing his mouth and chin to the top of your head.  “I’d love to.”


End file.
